The Juvenile Justice Board (JJB) of Pune has extended the remand of the 17-and-a-half-year-old minor accused in the Porsche crash case for an additional 14 days, due to his ongoing psychological counselling at the observation home. The juvenile will remain in the facility until June 25, when the next hearing is scheduled.
The initial remand began on May 22 at the juvenile observation home and ended on June 5. Following a hearing on the police’s request for an extension, the remand was extended until Wednesday. On that day, the police sought another 14-day remand, which the defence opposed. The defence filed a plea for the minor’s release into the care of his relatives. After considering both arguments, the JJB extended his remand until June 25.
Assistant Commissioner of Police Sunil Tambe, who is leading the investigation, and public prosecutor Monali Kale, argued that the minor’s psychological counselling by state-appointed experts at the observation home is ongoing and crucial for his rehabilitation. They contended that the remand extension was necessary to complete this process.
They also mentioned that their request to try the accused as an adult is pending, and they are preparing the required reports and documentation. The investigating officer emphasized that three separate offences have been registered in the case, involving the minor’s parents and grandfather, who are either in police custody or judicial custody. The officer expressed concerns that releasing the minor could potentially influence the investigation through his relatives.
Defence lawyer Prashant Patil opposed the prosecution’s plea, stating, “The JJB order says that the CCL is undergoing psychological counseling sessions while in the observation home. Some of these sessions have been completed and some more are yet to take place. Since the CCL is showing signs of improvement, remaining in the observation home will help him assimilate into the mainstream.”
Patil also argued that, as part of the juvenile’s reform and rehabilitation, he needs to participate in the process of college admissions, having completed Class 12. Patil noted that the JJB has directed the officials responsible for the minor’s remand to assist him with this process.
Following the accident on May 19, the minor was detained and produced before the JJB in Pune the same afternoon. The police had requested his custody in the juvenile observation home and had also appealed for him to be tried as an adult.
Initially, the JJB, consisting of only one non-judicial member instead of its full complement of three, had rejected the applications and granted bail to the accused with several conditions, including writing an essay, studying traffic safety norms, and undergoing de-addiction counselling.
The Pune police challenged the JJB’s order in the district court, which referred the matter back to the JJB to be decided again under the provisions of the Juvenile Justice Act.
On May 22, a three-member JJB sent the minor to the observation home until June 5, with psychological and de-addiction counselling included in the terms for his rehabilitation and reform.
In the early hours of May 19, the minor allegedly drove the Porsche at high speed under the influence of alcohol, resulting in a crash that killed two software engineers on a bike.
During the investigation, Pune City police officials recovered CCTV footage showing an exchange of money between Sassoon staffer Atul Ghatkamble and middleman Aspak Makandar, who have been arrested for swapping the blood sample.